Subscription Boxes

A couple of months ago, the lovely people at Stickers Swaps contacted me to see if I’d like to review their stickers subscription service. They emailed again to let me know they’ve been making changes to the monthly mailouts, so wondered if I’d like another set.

I love the new packaging they have – very smart, with the link to this month’s stickers across the top. They’ve also focussed their selection a bit – instead of lots of random stickers, they’ve decided to send 10 “featured artists” stickers, so the quality is maintained at a really high level.

There’s lots of great designs, like Emma Brett‘s skulls and Steve Hind‘s moka pot. I picked out my favourite three which just happened to be from the same artist.

These very adorable burger, tomato, and Stay Puft man stickers are by Cocorino who also sells through his own Etsy shop. His Instagram is full of great designs.

If you like what you see, use the code UNTOLD50 for 50% off the first month which can be used on any of their subscription options.

I loved stickers when I was younger. I remember sticking a bunch on my bedroom furniture (which naturally irritated my mother) but I also used to get really precious about them. I’d get a bit sad at the thought of sticking them on a notebook or my wardrobe door and then not being able to stick them anywhere else. It got to the point that I wasn’t actually sticking them anyway for fear of running out or wasting them.

I suppose that’s what makes Sticker Swaps so fun. For $9.99 a month, you get a whole bunch of stickers – some random, some specifically chosen – so you’ll never have to worry about running out. You can cover your wardrobe door to your heart’s content. James from Sticker Swaps contacted me to ask if I wanted to try out their November selection, which piqued my interest – I haven’t seen a sticker subscription box before so was keen to try it out.

Enough of the chat and on to the photos.

I was sent a really great selection of high quality stickers. The November ‘box’ (I’m a bit late with this review) features stickers from Blackwing pencils, tattoo artist Stabby Gabby, and Montreal-based artist Mictoon amongst others.

My favourites were these two:

Sarah Johnson

Live Design Co

This adorable hamster was designed by Sarah Johnson from Cardiff. It’s so cute! I also LOVE this retro “Live to Explore the Day” sticker by Jay at Live Design Co which has a real Firewatch vibe to it.

So now I need to just get over my sticker-placement related anxiety and stick them somewhere!

Wait, who’s this handsome gentleman? It’s model/blogger Mild Concern, found here in his natural habitat by the fire, typing up his review of the latest Adam Driver film with some port. And as per his normal blogging standards, he’s dressed up for the occasion.

Not really. I’d actually just forced him to get dressed up for the purposes of this post.

The lovely people at Harrison Blake Apparel Co. contacted me to ask if I’d like to review the contents of one of their monthly subscriptions. For $25 a month, subscribers receive 1 necktie and 4 accessories – pretty reasonable for someone wanting to build up their office wardrobe.

Now I’m more of a dress person, so that’s why I coerced Tim into doing a bit of modelling for me on our recent holiday. And as an added bonus for him, he’d get to keep the contents.

Harrison Blake Apparel socks

Harrison Blake Apparel bag

Harrison Blake Apparel pocket square

Harrison Blake Apparel tie and pin

The star of the box is the tie, and I think is worth the cost of the subscription alone. It’s a knitted tie, with squared-off end and suits Tim down to the ground – just quirky enough to not be stuffy. As soon as I opened the parcel, I knew it’d be perfect for him. (Worth $30).

My second favourite item is the pocket square. Very classy, with a different pattern on each side. I very much think that pocket squares need to make a comeback. (This is $15).

The socks are fairly standard socks – not too scratchy, but Tim was a bit worried that they were a little on the thin side. It’s nice that they matched the tie colours though. (These are $8).

Less to Tim’s tastes is the car tie pin, but he is actually going to be getting some use out of it as his Christmas party is apparently Al Capone themed. That’s a bit of luck. (Worth $25).

Finally, they’ve added a very practical shoe/tote bag. Handy for carting around as it folds down nice and small. (Worth $6).

The total value of the items is $84. Having looked at their previous months, they’re all great but I have to say I’m pretty pleased with this one, and I think Tim is too. I’m sure he’ll wow his colleagues at his party and I look forward to seeing photos.

In addition to this subscription, they also have a monthly bow tie club, a store where you can buy a whole load of accessories, and podcast called The Life of a Gentlemen. They offer international shipping too, so it’s time to start refining your wardrobe.

These items were were sent to me for the purposes of review, but all words and opinions are my own (and Tim’s).

There are many pretty things on the Nach Bijoux website. Lots of ceramic necklaces, rings, earrings, and some very lovely bags.

Unfortunately, Not Another Bill chose possibly one of the ugliest things on their website.

A crocodile letter opener. It’s possibly even uglier than the Dalmatian stapler that I got this time last year.

So I’m sending this back. And also cancelling my subscription. I’ve had some great gifts over the course of my subscription, but I’ve also had some absolute crap. I’m still on the lookout for a new subscription box service because I do love getting stuff in the post, but all I’m doing with NAB at the moment is collecting up a pile of junk. Expensive, occasionally ugly junk.

I think I’m getting Not Another Bill fatigue. It’s not their fault – I’m still getting really great gifts, but having had my subscription for about 2 and a half years, I’ve possibly exhausted all of their offerings. I feel like a bit of a spoilt brat because I’ve decided to send this month’s gift back.

It’s a really nice glasses case by their new lifestyle brand, Bill. Very soft leather, lovely lining. Buuuut, I have had two cases before (once in August 2014 and once in June 2015) and I really don’t need anymore.

It does raise another possible problem for me – what appealed initially with NAB was their collaborations, and I have seen a reduction this over the past couple of months. If NAB are going to be focussing more on their own brand, that’s cool but I’ll definitely be out.

I adore shopping channels. When we had Sky, I would flick up to the channels in the 600s and channel-hop on a loop. It’s a habit I’ve got out of now as we don’t have the TV on as much, but I don’t think there’s anything as satisfying as watching stuff being sold.

Buying however? I’ve never actually dabbled in that side of things. My pleasure was purely in the watching. That doesn’t really make me an ideal customer.

I’ve also never subscribed to a beauty box. I suppose my beauty advent calendar obsession is sort of similar to a subscription, but every time I’ve thought of ordering a Glossybox or Birchbox, I’ve resisted.

So not only is the Try It, Love It box my first beauty box, it’s also my first QVC purchase. And I think the first of many as I love love love the contents.

Probably the only thing I won’t use is the Vita Liberata self tanner because I like being very pale, but everything else is going to get used up so quickly.

I’ve already used the Nexxus shampoo and it’s so luxurious, can’t wait to try the conditioner as well. I covered my face in the Becca BackLight Priming Filter pretty much as soon as I opened the box. Becca is a recent discovery for me, and I’ve been addicted to the glowy foundation and powder so this is going to be a great addition. And the Essie Ballet Slippers is going onto my nails tonight.

NAB have decided to send subscribers the AS Plantini, a collaboration with Glaswegian model makers, Finch & Fouracre. It’s a mini Victorian planthouse, with a set of viola seeds and soil which reminds me a bit of the palm house in Sefton Park and looks really impressive on the box.

In reality, it’s a bit less impressive. It’s tiny for one thing (to be fair to them, they do make the size very clear but the box is way bigger than the actual planthouse so it gave me the completely wrong impression), and I just couldn’t seem to bend it right. You can see that the top isn’t quite attached to the walls, and the walls are bigger than the actual soil dish. I know I’m not good at little complicated builds, but I did try!

I’m also not entirely convinced that I won’t kill the plants either, but I’ll give it a go.

I will get back to some kind of normal with this blog at some point. For now, a quick catch up on my recent Not Another Bill presents.

May was meh. Pretty enough, but I’m just so tired of these bland homeware items – how can I get excited about a table runner?

Particularly when I don’t have a dining room.

NAB point out that the linen runner from DaTerra could also be used as a hand towel or scarf, but could it? Could it really? I have now removed the “Homeware” option from my subscription because it was getting a little too… boring.

Cute packaging though.

June is something completely different than anything I’ve had before. Hurrah!

I do like an item with some simple packaging. A very nice box containing:

A very nice pair of sunnies from See Concept, a french company who sell sunglasses, reading glasses, and “screen” glasses. I love the cute tortoiseshell colour, but not 100% convinced that the shape suits me. I have #D, but I think I would have preferred #E – I’m debating about asking if I can swap them.

Still, these will come in useful. I have prescription sunglasses, but I found that on my recent lazy Miami holiday, I couldn’t read my Kindle with my prescription lenses.

Uh, Sophie Conran, have you been reading my Not Another Bill blog posts? The above quote was essentially the theme of my March 2016 review. And the good news is, April 2016 item is 200% more useful than last month and a smidgen more beautiful.

It’s a lovely pair of secateurs, a collaboration between Sophie Conran and Burgon and Ball. Stainless steel with a brass lock, and really comfortable to hold. OK, so I’m not a big fan of gardening but:

Sophie Conran! You cannot go wrong with a Conran. You just can’t.

NAB make the point that these are multi-function – not just for the garden

The gift has given me another website to buy presents for my Mum and Mother-in-Law.

The only negative is that my ones seem a bit worn – I don’t know if this is just the way they’re made, but there’s a couple of nicks in the side. I’m assuming that these aren’t second hand? They did come in a lovely box though.

The little leaflet at the back has a voucher code for a free vase from Bloomon which I totally would have taken advantage of, but it’s only for people who live in the M25. BOO!

It’s an elaborately designed magnifying glass (again no collaborating brand). Quite weighty, good optics (?). Mine is actually filthy and covered in sticky stuff though – my hands were black after I put it together and you can see some of the black stuff in the above photo. Goodness knows why.

However this gift perhaps does not fulfil the philosophy of not having anything in your house that isn’t useful or beautiful. And it feels as though this has been a trend over the past couple of months. Seeing as my new job title has the word Data* in it, I will take this opportunity to take a closer look at the numbers.**

Yes, this is subjective and I don’t think the data will hold up to intense scrutiny from the International Standards Organisation but things are definitely going south.

Buuuuutttttt, I still like getting stuff in the post, and I haven’t yet found anyone else like Not Another Bill. I am paralysed with inaction at the moment. What a very middle-class conundrum.

*To be clear, my job is just to provide the data, I don’t analyse or visualise. Which is clear from the above.
**See what I did there?